<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Seven Kittens by exklusiv</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30115722">Seven Kittens</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/exklusiv/pseuds/exklusiv'>exklusiv</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Cats - Andrew Lloyd Webber, Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats - T. S. Eliot</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Familial Relationships, Family Fluff, Multi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 01:07:17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,823</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30115722</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/exklusiv/pseuds/exklusiv</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A series of vignettes following Rum Tum Tugger, Mr. Mistoffelees, and their seven little kittens.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Mr. Mistoffelees/Rum Tum Tugger (Cats)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Tuggoffelees' Seven Kittens</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Nyxen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Linadoon/gifts">Linadoon</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is going to be a fun little series of one-shots and interconnected vignettes following my friend's original characters, the seven kittens Mistoffelees "pulled out of a hat." This series is a gift to him. Go check out his account to see his fic on how the kittens came to be!<br/>In order, the kittens are Pysia, Asteria, Nyxen, Calicary, Anália, (Hekate) Grizabella, and Partriben.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Naming the kittens had been fairly easy, though Mistoffelees wasn't quite sure why Tugger had paused and stuttered out Hekate's name with a shifty expression. The raising of them was also fairly easy, if not a little exhausting. Mistoffelees couldn't remember having this much energy, but Alonzo told him he'd been the sibling that had a penchant for getting into sticky situations. Munkustrap had informed Tugger that he was absolutely getting his just rewards for being a holy terror of a kitten.</p><p>All seven kittens were incredibly individual, but they all seemed to mesh well and got along and only occasionally did one of the toms have to break up sibling arguments. They were all perfectly normal kittens, except for one.</p><p>Nyxen was an interesting little cat. Black as night save for two little white eyebrows, Nyxen had bright yellow eyes that could stare through space. Tugger hadn't realized he could be unnerved by a kitten until Nyxen opened his eyes (the first of the seven to do so) and was bleary for a moment before he stared at Tugger like he was assessing his soul.</p><p>Tugger had not relaxed for the whole afternoon after that.</p><p>As Nyxen grew, his progress stressed his parents out. The other kittens got their feet under them and stumbled around, tripping and falling down as they learned their bearings. Nyxen did not rush any motion, watching his siblings with an intense yellow stare before getting to his feet and making measured, calculated steps that did not shake or waver. Tugger was concerned Nyxen was falling behind when the other six began to babble and chatter and he stayed silent, until, one day, out of nowhere, having shown no prior indication that he even could speak, said, with crystal clarity, "Papa, I'm feeling cold, may I cuddle with you?"</p><p>Mistoffelees had found Tugger holding Nyxen in his arms, the little black cat dozing in his father's mane, with Tugger staring, confused, at the floor.</p><p>When his magic manifested, Tugger had been the least surprised out of everyone. His sweet, shy little furball had to have magic, he decided. He was too special not to. Mistoffelees taught him what he knew, taught all three of his magical children what he knew, but Nyxen took to it the strongest, his yellow eyes so intently focused on the magic in his father's hands it was if nothing else in the world existed.</p><p>When Alonzo first saw him do magic, he'd groaned and said, "Oh, of COURSE the one that looks like Dad has magic."</p><p>As the kittens grew and made friendships and ingratiated into the tribe, Nyxen always seemed to get left behind. His siblings loved him and invited him along when they could, but it became increasingly clear that the little black cat with the stare that could unnerve even the oldest cats was a bit of an outsider.</p><p>Tugger did his best. He took Nyxen with him places and tried to include him, but anyone who was not immediately family (even a few of his cousins) tended to steer clear of him. It hurt him that his sweet Nyx was being excluded; he knew what it was like when the tribe found fault and dissociated with another cat.</p><p>One day, Tugger found Nyxen high on a perch, staring down inscrutably at Grizabella (he'd really hoped the name Hekate would stick but they couldn't deny who she was, no matter what Tugger's feelings were) showboating with glittering magic tricks. Nyxen acknowledged his father with a flick of the tail.</p><p>"Nice vantage point," Tugger said, glancing down at the clearing. "Why not get closer? Join in performing with your sister?"</p><p>Nyxen's ears pulled back. Tugger tilted his head.</p><p>"What's wrong, kit?"</p><p>"I can see better here."</p><p>"You can see from a distance better than up-close."</p><p>A gentle nod.</p><p>"You know, they're only scared of you because they don't know you."</p><p>"I'm not concerned by them."</p><p>Tugger raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What do you mean?"</p><p>Nyxen was quiet for a long moment, his tail flicking in time with the sparks Grizabella tossed into the air. "I like to watch them all. It's all so beautiful. I can see Grizabella, but I can also see how everyone reacts to her. I get the whole experience up here."</p><p>"The audience is also the show for you, then?"</p><p>Nyxen's gaze did not break. "I don't mind that they don't understand me."</p><p>It was as if a fist wrapped around Tugger's heart and held tight. He cleared his throat, trying not to let his heart ache for his sweet, misunderstood darling, as he scooted back a bit. "Would you mind if I watched with you?"</p><p>Nyxen's answer was to scoot, unblinking, gaze unbroken on his sister and her audience, until he was sat between Tugger's thighs, leaned back into Tugger’s chest with his father's chin resting on his head.</p><p>"Love you, Nyx," Tugger said softly.</p><p>A flick of two black ears was his answer, and he knew exactly what it meant.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Here's <a href="https://linadoonofficial.tumblr.com/post/645947945459531776/i-i-have-no-words-this-was-so-cute-love">a little piece of art</a> to accompany this vignette.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Calicary and Partriben</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>No one could ever claim that Rum Tum Tugger and Mistoffelees did not love all their children equally, but there were a select few that knew that there had been a few concerns about their children near the beginning. The biggest concern was Tugger's, and it revolved around their last-born, Partriben. </p><p>Partriben was the runt, a tiny little thing that had struggled to initially keep up with his siblings, even the inscrutable and patient Nyxen. That alone might give any parent pause, but what had concerned Tugger was that Partriben was an almost exact replica of his older brother, Macavity. It was an irrational thought, that the fact that their sole ginger cat might harbor any of the cruelty his estranged uncle possessed, that Partriben might have the same obsessive need for power and strength that would drive him to alienation. </p><p>It was irrational. But it was there. </p><p>It had been Demeter, of all cats, to comfort Tugger. "He doesn’t have to be. It's not written in his fate. He will be different." </p><p>Tugger hadn't realized how right Demeter was. As the kittens grew into their own, developing and showing off their personalities, it became crystal clear that Partriben, all sleek red fur and gold eyes, with a straight posture and the proud cut of Tugger's jaw, was a worrier of the highest degree. </p><p>Calicary, a patchy monochrome of a cat, initially had the benefit of the assumption that he might behave like his matched Uncle Alonzo, maybe a little teasing but altogether responsible and upright. Munkustrap knew better, though, from the moment Calicary figured out how his feet worked and his two-toned jeweled eyes, a gift from Mistoffelees, glittered with a barely concealed mischief. Calicary had not taken after Alonzo and Partriben had not taken after Macavity. </p><p>They had taken after Tugger and Munkustrap. </p><p>An unlikely pair, Partriben and Calicary tended to move together through the junkyard, Partriben always trailing a few steps behind, his eyebrows furrowed, as Calicary led the charge. Word spread through the Jellicles at its normal breakneck speed once they'd run away from enough broken objects, toppled stacks, and every kind of horrible muddle, that Partriben was on a crusade to scold his brother, and Calicary was on the warpath of curiosity </p><p>It had been too quiet for most of the day when Mistoffelees finally heard it: the tell-tale sound of Partriben yelling before the air shattered with the unholy din of cascading metal. Mistoffelees sighed deeply before looking at Nyxen, who'd asked for a magic lesson. </p><p>"What do you think happened now?" </p><p>Nyxen blinked once and said nothing. Mistoffelees gently mussed his head fur. "Well, we ought to go see." </p><p>Mistoffelees sauntered through the junkyard, Nyxen following behind, until a few turns of a corner presented them with their prize: a calamitous mess of junk, and two very sorry little cats stuck underneath an upturned shopping cart, pinned down under an old bureau. </p><p>"Oh, boys," Mistoffelees said, shaking his head. </p><p>"No! No! Just the one! I told him! I told him this would happen," Partriben said angrily, trying to pull at the metal wires of the basket. "I tried to tell him, but no." </p><p>"You didn't know this would happen," Calicary replied, clearly very embarrassed that this was not a mess he could run away from. </p><p>Nyxen stared at his brothers and stated, very matter-of-factly, "You could have gotten hurt." </p><p>"Yes, you could have," Mistoffelees said, walking up to the bureau and opening the bottom drawer. He reached inside of the drawer and pulled each of his kittens out from under the cart. Partriben sat down firmly on the ground, but Calicary shook himself out grandly, pacing. </p><p>"Ugh, I hate that feeling." </p><p>"Stop getting stuck in things and I won't have to do it." Mistoffelees looked down and saw that Partriben had scooted over until his face was pressed into Mistoffelees' thigh. "Hey, you." </p><p>The unmistakable shake of tears overcame Partriben; Mistoffelees knelt down and gathered his ginger kitten in his arms. "Oh, Par, it's okay, it's okay, you're safe now." </p><p>"S-so loud an-and scary," Partriben gasped, holding onto Mistoffelees for dear life. </p><p>"I know it was, but you were so brave." Mistoffelees glanced up and pointed at his two-tone son. "Nyxen, grab him!" </p><p>Nyxen reached out and grabbed Calicary magically by the scruff, which made Calicary groan and go limp. "Aw, no." </p><p>"Aw, yes, kit, you could have done some serious damage." Mistoffelees turned back to Partriben and wiped his tears. "Hey, Par, settle down now. Will you try and settle if I make you a cup of tea?" </p><p>Partriben took a deep breath and nodded, though tears still fell from his eyes. Mistoffelees stood up and picked Partriben up, carrying him on his hip as he walked up to his other sons. "Thank you, Nyxen, that's enough." </p><p>Nyxen released his hold on Calicary, who looked up at his father with a sheepish expression. "Heh." </p><p>Mistoffelees held a paw to him. Calicary took it without a word. Together, the four of them walked back to their den, Calicary shuffling his feet as Nyxen walked, stoic, behind them. </p><p>Tugger crossed his arms at the sight of them approaching the den. "Oh, dear, what's happened?" </p><p>"Start a cup of tea for Par, would you?" Mistoffelees looked at Nyxen. "Inside with you, Nyx." </p><p>Nyxen walked dutifully into the den, following Tugger. Mistoffelees set Partriben on the ground and knelt down in front of him and Calicary. Partriben's eyes were red and Calicary's ears were pulled back. </p><p>"First, I'm glad neither of you are hurt," Mistoffelees started. "That's most important. Second, I need you both to meet in the middle here." </p><p>Partriben gave a start. "Wh-what?" </p><p>"You need to learn from each other. Cal, you could learn to be a little more cautious. And Par, you could learn to be a little more adventurous. I bet anything if you meet each other halfway, you'll find a good way to stay safe and still have fun." </p><p>Calicary and Partriben shared a look. Calicary's ears perked up. "Does that mean I'm not in trouble?" </p><p>Mistoffelees smiled and rubbed Calicary's ear. "Oh, no, you're not allowed to leave my sight for the next week. But I think you two need to learn a little from each other, hmm?" </p><p>Both Partriben and Calicary looked unconvinced, but Partriben reached over and took his brother's hand. "You scare me sometimes." </p><p>Calicary sighed. "I just want you to have fun."</p><p>Mistoffelees gathered his kittens in his arms. "You'll figure it out. In the meantime, please no more death-defying stunts, okay?" </p><p>Partriben and Calicary nodded. Mistoffelees pressed a kiss each on their foreheads. "Inside, now. Par, I bet Papa has your tea ready."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Fun fact: I picked out Calicary's name.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Anália</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Munkustrap was adult enough to admit that when the seven kittens were born, he'd been admittedly a little nervous when he saw a wriggling little kitten that looked exactly like Tugger. It was silly to assume some kind of predetermined personality would appear based on looks, but Munkustrap knew Tugger had gained much of his attitude because many cats had fawned over him and fed his vanity. What would that attention do to this little tom? </p><p>The answer, Munkustrap discovered, was "stress him out." </p><p>Anália was truly his father's spitting image, from the time he'd been born to the time he'd grown into his mane. A lack of a coiffed curl and green eyes were all that differentiated Tugger from his son; they even stood the exact same height. But where Tugger thrived under the gaze of an audience, milking the attention for all it was worth, Anália could not escape the limelight fast enough. Tugger's smoothness was replaced with a tendency to get tongue-tied and flustered, and Anália had developed a habit of pressing his mane up over his face in embarrassment in order to escape uncomfortable situations. </p><p>Munkustrap felt sorry for him. </p><p>He felt even more sorry for him when Anália manifested a bit of magic. Not nearly as powerful as Nyxen or Grizabella, Anália seemed to only have accidental magic. His powers, small but measurable, seemed to present only when he was stressed or nervous, which meant that any uncomfortable situation made Anália send things flying, which in turn just made the situation worse. </p><p>His mane tended to be permanently over his face. </p><p>The sporadic and emotionally-driven telekinesis gave Mistoffelees a challenge, one he was determined to work through with his son. But when Anália discovered that he could hear the things that people were thinking around him, Mistoffelees was at a complete loss. Mind-reading was well out of his wheelhouse, and he wasn’t sure how to help his shy little kitten. Coricopat and Tantomile, however, did. </p><p>They arrived at the den one day, unannounced, and asked permission to see Anália. The twin cats assessed the nervous tom, already head and shoulders above his siblings, and declared that they knew how to guide him, with permission. Mistoffelees readily gave it, and so began Anália's lessons. </p><p>It took a while for Anália to gain some semblance of control of what he could do (the unexpected and emotional tossing of objects could not be fully tamped down) but the nerves and stress was something they could not help with. Pysia and Asteria had done their best to help their brother out of his shell, to teach him how to be confident (Pysia, interestingly, <i>had</i> inherited the brash confidence from Tugger), but Nyxen had put it best when he declared, "Anália does not do well with having a body." </p><p>Anália, therefore, spent a lot of time hiding out in Demeter and Munkustrap's den, for a few reasons. Firstly, the rest of the Jellicles assumed it was a faux pas to just barge into Demeter's home (she still and likely would always jump and screech at unexpected noises), and secondly, Demeter was a delightful ally in turning away the curious by happily lying, "Oh, no, I haven't seen Anália anywhere. Maybe check the courtyard?" </p><p>There were two cats in the junkyard that tended to send Anália into fits most often: Jiora and Okiffa. A pair of incorrigible seal-point Siamese, Jiora and Okiffa had been brought to the Jellicles by Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer, who had come strutting in carrying one of the kittens each, and had announced they'd "found themselves some younger siblings" and wanted them to have a home. They were about the same age as Anália and his siblings and they were devilishly charming. They could get into trouble as easily as their siblings but were much more adept at getting out of it, and they were not afraid to use their charm to their own ends. </p><p>They stressed Anália out. </p><p>Anália was sitting with Demeter outside of her den one day, fiddling with the deck of tarot cards Coricopat and Tantomile had given him, figuring out how to sit best with his awkwardly long limbs, when Jiora and Okiffa had approached him in step, their soft blue eyes glittering. </p><p>"Hi, Anália," Jiora said, smiling brightly. </p><p>Anália stared at her. "H-hi." </p><p>"What are you working on?" </p><p>"I, uh." Anália swallowed hard. "I'm just... playing with tarot cards." </p><p>"How interesting!" Okiffa said, his ears perked up. "What do you do with them?" </p><p>Anália's ears pulled back. "You. Uh. You can read the future with them." </p><p>"How cool!" Jiora said, sitting down. "Can you read my future?" </p><p>Demeter tried to hide her smile at her poor nephew, suddenly at a very strong loss of what to do. Anália began stammering, "I... I, uh... it's just--" </p><p>"How does it work? Do we ask a question and then pick a card and that's our answer? Like one of those funny black balls?" Okiffa asked, sitting down next to his sister. </p><p>Demeter could practically hear Anália's heart pounding as he tried to collect his thoughts. "W-well, sort of, but--" </p><p>"Oh, I know my question! Will there be love in my future?" Okiffa asked. </p><p>Anália swallowed hard. Jiora and Okiffa were very similar siblings, but they had a few differences to help differentiate them. Jiora's eyes were just a little bit rounder, and her chest, belly, and paws were white. Okiffa's eyes were down-tilted just a bit and he had all the proper coloring of a Siamese. They were both devilishly handsome. </p><p>"It, uh... it doesn't really... work like that," Anália mumbled. "It doesn't work with a yes or no." </p><p>"See, Okiffa, you gotta be a little different!" Jiora elbowed her brother. "Try another question." </p><p>"Alright, let's see. What would happen if I pursued romance?" </p><p>The look on Okiffa's face sent Anália's blood pressure sky high. With shaking paws, Anália gathered up his cards in a haphazard stack and stammered out, "I think I hear my dad calling me." </p><p>Without looking back, Anália raced back to his family's den, collapsing onto a heap on the floor when he got there. </p><p>Nyxen stared at him. "Do you want to share?" </p><p>A groan was his response. </p><p>"Ah. I see." </p><p>After a long moment on the floor, in which Anália just stayed face-down, quietly, while Nyxen regarded him with a sort of passive interest, Calicary and Partriben entered the den, one after the other. </p><p>"What's up with him?" Calicary asked. </p><p>Nyxen blinked. "He is known." </p><p>Partriben hummed. "Yeah, that'll do it." </p><p>They coaxed their brother off the floor, Calicary giving him a good hug while Partriben gathered up the scattered tarot cards. Calicary was smoothing Anália's mane when there was a knock at the entrance of the den. Nyxen stood and walked over to it, peeking his head outside. After a brief exchange, he turned back to his brothers. </p><p>"It's for you, Anália." </p><p>Anália's green eyes glittered with a jittery anxiety as he walked over to the door. Standing outside the den was Okiffa, his paws behind his back as Jiora stood a few feet behind him, a grin on her face. </p><p>"Hi, Anália," Okiffa said cheerily. </p><p>"Oh. Hi, Okiffa." </p><p>"You ran off so quick we didn't really get to talk much." </p><p>Anália swallowed hard. "Well, you know, I--" </p><p>"It's okay! I get it. Listen, um, I was wondering, maybe sometime, we could go for a walk? You can explain the tarot cards more to me!" </p><p>A quick nudge from an otherwise silent Nyxen reminded Anália that he had not formed a response for a good ten seconds. "Uh. Maybe... that... it would... s-sure." </p><p>Okiffa started grinning madly. "Cool! Tomorrow?" </p><p>Behind Anália, inside the den, something sounded like it flew across the room; Calicary shouted, which meant that whatever Anália had accidentally affected had smacked into his brother. His voice came out in a squeak. "Sure!" </p><p>"Perfect. Oh, and you dropped this, by the way. Wouldn't want an incomplete deck." </p><p>Anália took the card Okiffa held out. "Th-thanks." </p><p>Okiffa turned away from Anália, grabbing Jiora's hand and running away giddily from the den. Anália walked, robotic, back into the den, directly into the gazes of a grinning Calicary and Partriben. </p><p>"Ooh, Anália has a daaaate!" Calicary trilled. </p><p>"What card were you missing?" Nyxen asked. </p><p>Anália turned the card over, saw it was the ace of cups, then politely handed it to Nyxen before walking over to a pile of pillows, falling face-first into them, and screaming. </p><p>Partriben chuckled. "Ah, love."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Ace of cups in the tarot is about being presented with the possibility of love and taking it.<br/>What a hard life when you got all your dad's good looks and absolutely none of his game. Poor boy.<br/>Jiora and Okiffa's names are based on something. Can you guess what?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Pysia and Asteria</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Warning for brief strong language and a smattering of violence.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was apparent from a very young age that the two oldest kittens, Pysia and Asteria, were a force to be reckoned with. Seemingly polar opposites, the two queens were a duo made of hellfire and arctic ice that formed a little miniature unit within their siblings. </p><p>Pysia was a spitfire of a queen, bossy and loud with an outright refusal to let anyone else have the last word on anything. A fluffy cat that was like a faded version of Tugger, Pysia ran through the junkyard like a battering ram, a cat who was going to get her way come hell or high water. She was physical and brash, and more times than Misto could count had Munkustrap come up to the den, hauling a petulant Pysia away from a fight, a weary expression on his face. </p><p>Asteria was a little more subtle. Graceful and lithe, and a perfect coloring mish-mash of her Uncle Munkustrap and Auntie Victoria, Asteria much preferred words to Pysia's physicality. Prim and proper, with impeccable manners, Asteria played her hand a little closer to the chest, and had mastered the art of looking innocent when things went wrong. She was the scalpel to Pysia's chainsaw, and the two worked in tandem to run roughshod over everyone. </p><p>They got away with their mischief one of two ways. Pysia had learned very early that drooping ears and soft eyes made Tugger, much to Misto's fury, give in to her every whim. Asteria had learned how to come up with a story and stick to it under any interrogation, which, begrudgingly, Misto had to admit was clever. </p><p>Despite being a whirlwind of chaos that commanded attention at every turn, Pysia and Asteria were very good to their siblings. Pysia was known for her teasing and Asteria knew exactly how to rile up the others (save for Nyxen, who was bothered by nothing), but they were fiercely protective of their siblings and could and did pick fights over them. </p><p>Asteria's most famous conquest involved a relative of Jellylorum's who had made a disparaging comment about Nyxen's perceived freakiness. As Misto understood the story, Asteria had spent less than a minute undressing the cat down to the bone, reduced her to tears, and had calmly walked away, arm in arm with Nyxen, completely nonplussed at the damage she'd caused in the name of defending her sibling. </p><p>The junkyard was often not big enough for the siblings, especially Pysia and Calicary, who craved adventure and had a streak of wanderlust in them, so, as they got older, they tended to wander, learning about their city, often accompanied by their cousins Cayan, Pettelin, and Miangellica. </p><p>It wasn't long after Okiffa took Anália on a moonlight walk through the junkyard that Pysia and Asteria were on such an excursion, wandering around the streets at sunset, shadows falling across the pavement as they strode around with their cousin Cayan, a dark ginger cat with a good sense of humor and a penchant for mischief. They found a group of cats they were acquainted with and started mingling, laughing, and flirting as the cover of starlight rolled across the sky. </p><p>Asteria in particular was making eyes at a dashing tom, a brown tabby with white socks, who'd zeroed in on her and had thrown an arm around her shoulder as a way to stake a claim to her. The group of cats were wandering the streets happily, giggling and telling dirty jokes and getting into mischief, digging in trash cans and singing songs that had the various humans on the street shouting at them. Pysia thought it was great fun. </p><p>It was about midnight, a half-moon high in the sky, when one of the group, a calico Pysia had been chatting up, looked down an alley they were passing and wolf-whistled. </p><p>"If it isn't the Casanova cat!" </p><p>There was a ripple of laughter as the two cats in the alley, in the middle of kissing, broke away from each other quickly. Pysia, Asteria, and Cayan stopped laughing. They would know Anália anywhere. </p><p>"And who's this?" one of the toms asked, sauntering down the alleyway. "Some new little plaything?" </p><p>"Keep out of it," Okiffa said, angling his body so it mostly blocked Anália. </p><p>"So hostile, Kiff! We’re just trying to be friendly." The brown tabby looked Anália up and down. "You do know how to pick them." </p><p>"Very easy on the eyes," a queen commented, her tail flicking back and forth. "Pass him along when you're done with him, would you, Kiff?" </p><p>"Watch it," Okiffa said hotly, stopping only because Anália had grabbed his arm. </p><p>"Hey, lay off," Pysia said, frowning. She was suddenly not very interested in the calico, and it seemed like Asteria's look of disgust betrayed her newfound dislike of the tabby. </p><p>"Would have never pegged you as the jealous type, Py, especially with toms," the tabby teased, grinning. </p><p>Pysia grit her teeth as the tabby circled Okiffa and Anália. "Does this flavor of the month have a name?" </p><p>"Back off, Zargo," Okiffa said hotly, his ears flat. He grabbed Anália's paw. "Come on." </p><p>"Be careful, boytoy, Okiffa bites," the calico called with a giggle. </p><p>Pysia clenched her fist as a trash can briefly rattled and Anália hunched his shoulders. Asteria glanced at her sister, sensing the rising heat in her. </p><p>"We oughta be warning Kiff!" the tabby laughed, walking back up to the group. "The shy ones are always the ones that leave marks. Tell us what a freak he is when you've had your way with him, Casanova!" </p><p>"That is <i>it!</i>" Pysia shouted, turning and throwing her arm in a wide arc, landing it squarely on the tabby's nose. The tabby shouted and fell backwards, putting his paws on his nose as blood poured down over his mouth. </p><p>The other cats in the group tensed as Asteria and Cayan grabbed Pysia by the arms and pulled her back before she could throw another punch. Pysia struggled against them. "Say another word about my baby brother! I fucking dare you, I'll turn you into a fucking Persian!" </p><p>The other cats all glanced around at each other as Pysia spat at them before Anália rushed up and took her hand. He whispered something into her ear and she relaxed, allowing him and Cayan to lead her away. Asteria stared down at the tabby with a piercing gaze, smiling brightly as she strode up to him. </p><p>"You know, Zargo, acting like a complete and utter jackass isn't the way to get what you want. Okiffa isn't going to fuck you." </p><p>Cayan sputtered in the background, choking down a laugh as Asteria bent at the waist and got right in the tabby's face. "And now, neither am I. Enjoy the nosebleed." </p><p>She flicked his ear and spun around gracefully, walking up to her family, taking Anália's hand as they all strode out of the alley together. They were about a block away when Anália spoke. </p><p>"I'm... I'm sorry I ruined your evening." </p><p>Pysia scoffed. "You kidding me, Ani? I'd never want to spend more time with assholes like them if they act like that, especially to you." </p><p>"Remind me to never, ever do anything to upset Pysia," Okiffa said with a chuckle, glancing at Anália. </p><p>"Just treat my brother right, Casanova." </p><p>Okiffa groaned. "I'm not that much of a flirt." </p><p>Asteria snorted. "Sure, that's why Anália panicked about not being experienced enough for you." </p><p>Anália made a high-pitched noise like a tea kettle and looked at Asteria incredulously. Okiffa reached over and poked Anália's side. </p><p>"Aw, you were nervous about me?" </p><p>"See the car coming? Please toss me in front of it." </p><p>Cayan pretended to pick Anália up, which made the group chuckle as they walked back to the junkyard together, laughing and teasing each other, the other cats already forgotten as insignificant.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>They call themselves "the bitches" for a reason.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. The Naming of Kittens</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A brief interlude before we get to the vignette of the final kitten</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The kittens were just shy of three weeks old. All eyes were open (their little black kitten had opened them first, and seemed almost unnervingly competent even at this young age) and they were now developed just enough to tell their sexes. It was time to give them their names.</p><p>Misto, still wrapped up and still pretty sore, was lounging on a pillow as Tugger did a brief inventory. "Three queens and four toms. Not a bad split."</p><p>"Oh, I'm glad it's pretty even. I always feel bad when the litter is all one and only one of the other. So unbalanced." Misto placed a hand on the bandages around his abdomen. "You're going to have to bring them over here, I think."</p><p>Tugger smiled and carted all the kittens over to Misto. The kittens all tottered around, mewling and blearily looking around for each other and Misto. All their eyes were still blue, still undeveloped, but Tugger was willing to bet at least a few of them would stay blue.</p><p>The seven kittens were huddled in a pile between Misto and Tugger, who had sat down in front of them. Misto reached out and picked one of the kittens up, holding him against his cheek, purring softly.</p><p>"Who are you, little one?" he hummed, gently tapping the kitten's nose. "Who are you going to be?"</p><p>The kitten, a patchwork of white and black, made to move like he wanted to climb on Misto's head. Tugger smiled.</p><p>"Calicary."</p><p>"You think so?" Misto regarded the tom in his hands. "Mm. Calicary. It suits."</p><p>Calicary was transferred back to the pile. Tugger picked up the oldest, a bright little queen that spent a great deal of her time mewling, and often walked all over her siblings to be fed first. Tugger could already tell she was going to be a handful. "Pysia."</p><p>"I was thinking just that," Misto said, reaching out and gently petting the soft fur on her neck. "Pysia, my darling."</p><p>The pale-striped gray queen was next. Misto scrutinized her carefully. "I think this one is Asteria."</p><p>"Very elegant. Very her." Tugger picked up the tom that had given Munkustrap a conniption. "Alright, mini-me. What's your name?"</p><p>"Trouble."</p><p>"Ha, ha," Tugger said sarcastically. The little kitten mewled and curled into a ball, hiding his face from sight.</p><p>"Anália," Misto said firmly. Tugger chuckled.</p><p>"Hello, Anália. What mayhem you might make."</p><p>The quiet little black kitten was next. Tugger ran a finger down his back. "Nyxen. Without a doubt."</p><p>"Agreed." Misto gently picked up the runt of the litter, and the only ginger cat of the bunch. He sighed softly. "My strong little love. How big you're getting."</p><p>"Hopefully he stays this small. He can't become like Macavity if he's this little forever."</p><p>"Oh, Tugger, hush." Misto regarded his youngest before smiling. "Partriben. It has to be."</p><p>"That feels right, for sure."</p><p>The ginger cat was placed among his siblings; he immediately toddled over to Calicary, using his brother as a pillow.</p><p>And then there was one. Misto picked up his little tuxedo queen and pressed his nose to hers. "Tell me, darling, who are you?"</p><p>Tugger felt a drop in his belly. He could fight this, he was sure of it. It didn't have to be this way. "Her name is... uh..."</p><p>Misto glanced at Tugger with a baffled expression. "What a time to stutter."</p><p>"Hekate. Her name is Hekate," Tugger blurted out, pulling out the first name he could think of.</p><p>Misto's eyebrows furrowed. "Are... are you sure? Something about it doesn't quite fit."</p><p>"No, I'm sure. Her name is Hekate."</p><p>"If you're sure." Misto smiled and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "Welcome, sweet Hekate. Back into the fray."</p><p>All seven kittens, now named, arranged themselves together between their parents, snoozing on the soft blankets as Tugger and Misto looked down at them lovingly.</p><p>"I think we did alright," Misto said confidently.</p><p>Tugger nodded, but said nothing. It had to work. She'd be Hekate and it would be fine. It was going to work, without any hiccups or problems.</p><p>His little queen would be Hekate, and no one else.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. (Hekate) Grizabella</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tugger knew from the very beginning. From the moment he’d held her, not even an hour old, blind and wriggling and helpless and fragile, he'd known who she was. The tuxedo coloring did not change it, could not change it, but the onslaught of mixed emotions led him down the path of attempting to change it anyway. </p><p>So he’d named her Hekate. </p><p>It held no significance, no history, and no weight. He hoped that it would unshackle her, allowing her the freedom to be whomever she chose. And, much to his chagrin, she chose to be who she really was. </p><p>Hekate was a delightful queen, second to last in the order of the kittens, and was always dancing and singing, prefacing each performance with, "Dad, Papa, watch me!" Her magic manifested near after Nyxen's did, and Misto was pleased as anything to take them under his tutelage and show them what he knew. She wasn't near as powerful as Nyxen was in terms of raw magic, but she knew how to showboat and knew how to draw an audience with glittering displays that Nyxen could not (or would not) produce. </p><p>Tugger was at odds with himself as she grew. He was immensely proud of her (who wouldn't be proud of a daughter who'd inherited both her fathers' desire to be center stage?) but he always had a nagging guilt whenever he had to remind himself to not blame her for every little transgression. He'd done his best to change her, after all, and this wasn't the same cat. </p><p>But there were little things, things only Tugger, in his hyperaware focus on his youngest daughter, could see. For one, Nyxen had never once called her by her name. He referred to her solely as "sister." Misto brushed it off as nothing, but Tugger knew better. Nyxen was too astute for whimsical choices, too knowing. For another, Hekate had always fussed over her siblings, but she paid a special attention to Anália and Partriben, the two that bookended her, who were also the two that happened to look the most like Tugger and Macavity. </p><p>Hekate was there, hovering and tending and fussing to every skinned knee and every tear, almost to the point of smothering. It lessened on Partriben when he started to fill out and catch up, no longer the runt of the litter, and he began trailing after the hurricane path Calicary carved out, but it never let up on Anália, who was an awkward, nervous mess who also happened to be accident prone. Though not normally fierce, he'd lost his temper once at her in their very early teen years, snapping at her that he didn't need her to constantly shadow him. </p><p>Tugger had sat her down as she sniffled, comforting her, when he asked her why she was so intent on caring for Anália. </p><p>"I... I don't know," Hekate admitted, blue eyes watering. "I... I feel like I have to. I feel like he's going to hate me if I don't show him I care." </p><p>That hit a little too close to home for Tugger. It was becoming clearer and clearer every day that his plan had not only not worked, it had failed in such a spectacular fashion that it was only a matter of time before she found out the truth. And each day, he had to grapple with the conflicting feelings of loving her so much it hurt and feeling a lingering resentment towards her history. </p><p>When she came to Tugger and Misto in her late teens and carefully informed them that her name didn't fit, that she really felt like her name was Grizabella, Tugger finally had to confront the truth he'd been doing his best to press down from the moment he’d looked at her: his daughter was the reborn soul of his mother. </p><p>Nyxen knew, of course, and it was exceptionally frustrating when he dropped the "sister" and just began calling her Grizabella like he’d been waiting his whole life to do it. The other kittens stumbled on it at first but it didn't take but a few tries to make it stick. Misto had made the quickest rounds he'd ever made to inform the Jellicles of the change with a strong warning to make no comments one way or another. </p><p>Tugger had slipped away when Grizabella made her announcement, popping away to a secluded place to think. The first person to find him was Munkustrap, who hadn't said anything for a long moment, until he inhaled deeply and asked, "Is it really her?" </p><p>"Oh, yeah. It's her." Tugger pinched the bridge of his nose. "As much as I didn't want her to be, she is who she says she is." </p><p>Munkustrap's brows furrowed and he thought about it for a moment. "Are you... doing okay?" </p><p>"I have no idea. I'll tell you when I figure it out." Tugger groaned. "Why me? Why didn't she get given to you?" </p><p>Munkustrap snorted. "The Everlasting Cat does what she will. Kind of like someone else I know." </p><p>"I'm going to swing you by the tail." </p><p>Munkustrap smiled and put his paw on Tugger's shoulder. "It'll be okay. I promise." </p><p>"Thanks, Munks." </p><p>Munkustrap walked away from Tugger, and he was in silence again for a long while before he heard a soft voice call to him. </p><p>"Papa?" </p><p>Tugger looked up. Grizabella was peaking around a corner, her ears flat against her head. She looked nervous. "Can I come in?" </p><p>"Of course, pet. Come here." </p><p>Grizabella padded over to Tugger, getting cozy in Tugger's lap, resting her head on his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. </p><p>"Uncle Munks tell you where I was?" </p><p>She shook her head. "Nyxen." </p><p>Tugger chuckled. "Figures." </p><p>Grizabella began playing with her fluffy tail, not looking at her father. "Papa, are you... are you mad at me?" </p><p>That tone of voice stabbed Tugger right in the heart. "Why do you think I'm mad at you?" </p><p>"Well, because... you came out here after I told you my name, and..." </p><p>Tugger looked at his daughter. Her eyes were welling up. "Love..." </p><p>"And I don't want you to be mad at me. I-I can go back to being Hekate, it's okay, just please don't be mad at me." </p><p>Tugger bundled Grizabella up tightly, his heart aching as his daughter started crying in his arms, hiding her face in her hands. "Oh, love, I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I'm not mad at you, I promise. I'm just... processing. Come on, now, pet, please calm down." </p><p>She sniffled. "It's not... it's not that big a deal, really, I can really go back, it's fine." </p><p>"Nyxen just called you something other than 'sister' for the first time in your life and you wanna go back to that?" Tugger laughed. "No, pet, you stay true to who you are. I'm... I just need to come to terms with it." </p><p>"How come Dad isn't doing this, too?" </p><p>Tugger sighed and pet Grizabella's head. "You got some time?" </p><p>She nodded. </p><p>"Let me tell you about The Glamour Cat." </p><p>Tugger did his best, trying to let his daughter know her story without getting too intense. It would have sounded better coming from Munkustrap, but he owed this to her, owed it to his beloved daughter to tell her directly why he was taking a minute to breathe out some anxiety and deal with her name change. He even mustered up the courage to tell her why he hadn't given her the name Grizabella in the first place, which he was sure would upset her. </p><p>When he was done telling her all he had to tell, she stayed quiet for a long time, occasionally sniffling. He was sure she was going to jump off his lap and walk away, but she curled up a little tighter and tangled her fingers in his mane. </p><p>"I'm sorry." </p><p>"Don't apologize, pet, that wasn't you. It was her. The Everlasting has seen fit to give your soul a new chance. You've been given a great gift to have a new life without regret. So don't. Don't have regrets." </p><p>Grizabella sniffed. "I'm still sorry." </p><p>"I know. I'm sorry, too. But I think we can move forward from it. Don't you?" </p><p>She nodded. </p><p>"Good. Plus, you have my permission to set fire to anyone that tries to give you grief over your name. Not even permisson. You have my direct order to do it." </p><p>Grizabella giggled. "Can do." </p><p>"You wanna go hang out with your siblings now?" </p><p>She shook her head. "I want to stay here with you. Can I?" </p><p>"Always, pet." Tugger hugged her tightly, kissing her forehead. "Always."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Who'd have ever supposed that cat was Grizabella the Glamour Cat?</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>You can find more about the kittens, like how they look, <a href="https://linadoonofficial.tumblr.com/tagged/Tuggoffelees'%20Seven%20Kittens">at this link</a>. Give him a follow while you're there, too.</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>